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Cherry Lemon Muffins

by Mari Vasseur
Tender, moist lemon muffins studded with fresh cherries, topped with crumb topping and pink cherry-lemon icing
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients
  

Crumb Topping

  • ¾ cup (96g) all purpose flour
  • 6 tablespoons (75g) sugar
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup (57g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Cherry Lemon Muffins

  • 1 cup (200g) plus 1 tablespoon (13g) sugar, divided
  • 1 ½ cups (255g) pitted and chopped fresh cherries 1/4-inch to 3/8-inch pieces
  • 2 ¼ cups (288g) all purpose flour, sifted plus 2 teaspoons to coat the cherries
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • Zest of 2 medium lemons
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanila extract
  • 1 cup (227g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 12 Cherries with stems for garnish optional

Icing

  • ¾ cup (90g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) reserved cherry juice
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) heavy cream
  • 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) fresh lemon juice

Instructions
 

Crumb Topping

  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together. Work in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks sandy with no large pieces of butter remaining. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Muffins

  • In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cherries with 1 tablespoon (13g) of sugar. Let stand 30 minutes, then drain the cherries, reserving the juice.
  • Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line a 12-serving muffin pan with tulip muffin liners.* (You can also use standard muffin liners. They hold less batter so they'll yield a couple of extra muffins.)
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, 1 cup (200g) of sugar and the lemon zest, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Beat in the extracts. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture in 2 additions, followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Beat just until combined. Do not over mix. Reserve a couple of tablespoons of the chopped cherries. Coat the remaining cherries with 2 teaspoons of flour, then gently fold them into the batter.
  • Divide the batter evenly into muffin liners. (If using standard muffin liners, fill 3/4 full.) Top with the reserved cherries and the crumb topping. Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 5 minutes. Turn the oven heat down to 350ºF (180ºC) and continue baking the muffins until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 12-17 more minutes. Do not over bake.
  • Transfer the muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely. Drizzle with icing and top with cherries if desired.

Icing

  • In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, cherry juice, heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of lemon juice together until smooth. Add additional lemon juice, if needed, until the desired consistency is reached.

Notes

*To find  tulip muffin liners, click here. To find floral tulip muffin liners, click here.
Keyword cherry lemon, muffins